The Modern Scholar: Upon This Rock: A History of the Papacy from Peter to John Paul II

Publisher's Summary

In this compelling series of lectures, widely esteemed author and professor Thomas F. Madden illustrates how the papacy, the world's oldest institution, gave birth to the West.Since Jesus Christ instructed the foremost of his Apostles, Peter, that he would be the rock upon which Christ would build his church, the papacy has survived the rise and fall of empires while continuing to assert an undeniable influence on world events. The men who have served as pope are a fascinating collection of larger-than-life personages who have touched millions of lives, changed the course of history, and even launched crusades that have altered the balance of global politics.With a learned approach and incisive analysis, Professor Madden not only provides a history of the papacy, but sheds light on the personalities of the popes and the flavor of their pontificates. At the same time, Madden demonstrates how the papacy has survived the tumultuous cauldron of history and offers a studied commentary on the future of this resilient institution.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful

Not warts and all

This series of lectures has much to recommend it. The lectures are clear and informative. The discussions of the theology is clearly presented.
The lectures are very pro-pontiff. All actions of the popes are presented as either political ("He did this because policy demanded it") or as necessity. The morally reprehensible things done by the popes is glossed-over or not presented. We can perhaps understand that, for example, Pius V's encouraging English Catholics to revolt against Elizabeth or his encouragement of the persecution of the Hugenots is not presented but this kind of omission over 2000 years then makes assertions about the pristine behavior of Pius XII during World War II less credible.
Despite that, the lectures are informative and for those wanting to get an overview, they are useful and well-presented. Just bear in mind that it is a one-sided view.

If one has all his other lectures on the Catholic Church, one can skip this one, because it would sound awfully repetitive. On the other hand, this lecture does make a good synthesis of his other lectures on church history.